


Hometown

by write_your_way_out



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-22 21:37:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11388924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/write_your_way_out/pseuds/write_your_way_out
Summary: Bertholdt has a question he needs answered. They failed. Was it for better, or for worse?





	Hometown

“Maybe this was supposed to happen. Maybe we weren’t supposed to succeed.” Bert stared at the ceiling. The barracks were empty, save for him and Reiner. On the top bunk, Bert could see every grain and flow of wood on the walls.

“What’re you talking about?” Reiner stuck his head out from the lower bunk, eyebrow raised. Tufts of blond hair stuck out in every direction like he’d been rolling around on his pillow.

Bert sucked in a breath. One hand clasped his sheets like a lifeline. It was times like this when he couldn’t decipher whose side Reiner was on. “What are you, Reiner?” If he was a warrior, then maybe he would think Bert was weak for saying such a thing. If he was a soldier, he might not realize was he was talking about at all.

“No, I’m a warrior.” Reiner shook his head. “But, what do you mean, ‘This was supposed to happen?’”

Hearing the words come out of someone else’s mouth, they sounded weak. Like Bert had given up. He tucked his knees up to his chest and shook his head. “It’s nothing. Nevermind.”

“Tell me.”

Would Reiner even understand? Bert could just imagine what would happen if he said those words in their hometown. Traitorous. Slander. Their mission was the single most important thing in their life. If Bert admitted how it felt, would Reiner even trust him?

Maybe not. But if he kept it inside, it felt like he would explode.

“Sometimes, it feels like failing was the best thing that ever happened to us,” Bert admitted. “If we succeeded, we never would have ended up here. This place would be in ruins. All the people we’ve met, our friends, our-” Bert stopped short of calling them allies. That wasn’t fair. “They would be dead. I don’t know about you, but this is the happiest I’ve been since we enlisted to become warriors. People here actually care about us.” The words spilled out in rapid succession before Bert could stop them.

Reiner went silent. The only sound in the cabin was his labored breath. Bert counted the seconds. How many times had it been the other way around? When Reiner lost control and failed to see their mission?

“I know what you mean,” Reiner said. “It’s like a facade. Like I can be a better version of myself while I’m here.”

“But?” Bert knew the word was coming. Even if Reiner didn’t say it, the two of them never had the luxury to be ‘better versions.’

“But we can’t forget our mission,” Reiner said. Every word caught in his throat like he didn’t want to say them. “Bert, we’ve got to return to our hometown.”


End file.
